The lifestyle news to know in April

What’s the scoop this month? Singapore opens its first all-villa resort, a luxury fashion brand expands in Riyadh and a vegan restaurant becomes the first in the United Kingdom to earn a Michelin star. Down under, a celebrity chef duo makes inroads in the hospitality industry. We bring you all the details below.

1. A lush island retreat

Singapore’s first all-villa resort has opened in Sentosa. With direct access to the soft sands of Tanjong Beach and two golf courses, Raffles Sentosa Singapore boasts 62 villas, each with a private pool and an outdoor terrace. The spa’s luxurious facilities include a whirlpool and mud pool, and its range of treatments encompass mindfulness, relaxation and fitness. Dining options span the globe, from omakase and Tuscan dishes to Cantonese classics and afternoon tea. You can also design your own menu and enjoy it from the comfort of your villa.

2. Concrete and leather

Balenciaga has unveiled its largest flagship store yet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a bold expansion into the Middle East. This chic, 5,200sq ft space in new mall Solitaire showcases an extensive collection of designs from the French luxury fashion house, including cutting-edge clothing, stylish accessories and avant-garde footwear. The ultra-minimalist, concrete-lined space includes a “Very Important Customer” room for customers who require a more tailored shopping experience.

3. Scaling up

It’s an exciting time for Australia’s revolutionary culinary duo Josh and Julie Niland, who’ve opened a new hotel while gearing up to launch another restaurant this month. The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter comprises 14 luxury suites located above the Nilands’ flagship eatery Saint Peter in Sydney. In-room amenities such as fish-fat candles and fish-bone ceramics echo the whole-fish ethos that put the Nilands’ work on the map. Meanwhile, they’ll bring their culinary expertise to The Sundays , a new hotel on Hamilton Island. Expect a low-waste, family-friendly dining experience crafted with local ingredients against the backdrop of Catseye Beach.

4. When stars align

Plates London has become the United Kingdom’s first vegan restaurant to earn a Michelin star. Co-founder chef Kirk Haworth draws from his own pursuit of a healthy, natural lifestyle to design seasonal menus of dishes such as mung and urad bean lasagna and rice pudding ice cream with rhubarb, beetroot and mulberries. The Plates brand, whose creative vision is overlooked by Haworth’s sister Keeley, now also offers an intimate dine-and-stay experience in London’s Shoreditch area, as well as a Farm & Retreat four-day getaway in the countryside of southwest France.